Doctor Strange had to look into the future to learn how to defeat Thanos. Marvel

Warning: There are massive spoilers ahead for "Avengers: Infinity War."

As teased in at least one of the promos for "Avengers: Infinity War," at one point in the film, Doctor Strange uses the Time Stone to look ahead into the future of the Avengers and their fight against Thanos. Unfortunately, the future is bleak for everyone except the Mad Titan. Strange tells Tony that he looked into 14 million possible futures that their conflict spawns, and there is only one reality in which the heroes actually manage to defeat Thanos.

14 million to one — those aren't odds anyone would like. There's no snarky comeback from Tony at this point, even he realizes the gravity of this situation.

This is prefaced by a chilling statement from Doctor Strange earlier on in the film whilst they're aboard Ebony Maw's ship. He explains that he's sworn to protect the Time Stone, and he'd happily let Tony and Peter die in order to safeguard the relic. considering Doctor Strange is quite standoffish and confrontational, this remark… isn't exactly surprising. Plus, he'd never met the pair of heroes before this event, so he has no real connection to them. But later, when Thanos is beating Tony to a bloody pulp, Doctor Strange offers the armored Avenger the Time Stone to save Tony's life. This is an uncharacteristic turn from Stephen, to say the least.

Once Thanos gets to Earth, it's clear he really does have every intention of wiping out half the life in the universe. He swats the Avengers off like flies, and after Thor hurls Stormbreaker into Thanos' chest, the MCU's baddest villain lifts his Gauntlet, and snaps his fingers.

As heroes and civilians begin to dissipate, the situation looks bleaker by the second. Strange, however, doesn't seem reluctant to die — perhaps because this is part of his plan. But if the Avengers have already lost the battle, how can they make a comeback? It's possible that all of these deaths have to occur in order for Tony and the rest of the surviving heroes get the push that they need to defeat Thanos once and for all.

Could Doctor Strange have told his plan to someone? Marvel

Remember, Doctor Strange took the time to analyze all 14 million possible outcomes of the Avengers taking on Thanos. That means he's also analyzed every single move in the one victorious timeline that will lead to Thanos' defeat. Therefore, he can plan ahead. Thus, it stands to reason, allowing the Mad Titan to kill half the universe will ultimately be the Thanos' downfall.

As tragic as it might seem, they'll be necessary. Think of how heartbreaking Peter Parker's death was, and how much it will have affected Tony Stark. Something like that will drive him to get revenge and put a stop to the Mad Titan alongside any other plans he has for the universe. Especially when you consider that Doctor Strange offered Thanos the Time Stone to save Tony's life, someone he only met a few hours previously. Clearly, in the one future that Doctor Strange foresaw a victory, Tony Stark is essential in saving everyone and defeating Thanos.

Fans speculated that Doctor Strange would use the Time Stone to revert the events of "Avengers: Infinity War" back to a point before Thanos assembled the Gauntlet, but since he's dead, well — that might be difficult. However, after the Black Order initially assaulted New York, Wong returned back to the Sanctum Sanctorum while Doctor Strange was prisoner aboard Ebony Maw's ship. He's been a master of the mystic arts for far longer than Stephen Strange, and was in charge of all the restricted books in the library at Kamar-Taj. It's likely Wong already knows how to use the Time Stone, or he'll be able to learn very quickly.

Of course, that would mean getting the Time Stone back from Thanos and his now eviscerated Infinity Gauntlet, but that's not impossible. And although we didn't see him transcend into the Astral Plane, is it possible that Doctor Strange used it to relay a message to Wong? After all, when Strange spoke with the Ancient One before her death in his solo film, she slowed time down to micro-seconds to hold a fairly lengthy conversation with him. Doctor Strange might have managed to reach Wong and tell him what needs to happen for the win. Strange isn't the type of man to leave everything down to chance, and he isn't afraid of making bold sacrifices. (Remember, "Dormammu, I've come to bargain…") If those sacrifices led to Wong being able to turn back time and fix everything, he might be the key to saving the MCU.